Most donor relations professionals don’t need more content. We need a clear perspective — without spending hours searching for it. The Hub delivers that monthly. In five minutes, members get distilled insight from peers across industries and career stages: practical approaches, emerging trends, and lessons learned through experience. It’s designed to meet members where you are, right when the work is happening. Most importantly, it’s content for you, by you.

In 2026, each issue will include:

President’s Message: Leadership inspiration.

Voices of Experience: Proven practices and honest lessons

As we reflect on this year’s accomplishments, ADRP extends heartfelt thanks to the professionals who shared their wisdom through the Voices of Experience column. Your insights, stories, and best practices have enriched our community and advanced the donor relations profession. By lending your voice, you’ve created a platform that inspires learning and fosters collaboration across our field. We are grateful for your generosity and commitment to elevating the work we do every day. 

• “I wish someone had told me this sooner.”
• “Others are probably dealing with this, too.”

• “There is a tried and tested option.”
• “That’s a smarter way to handle this.”

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Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

Some special recognition in this season of thanks…

Continuing with the theme of gratitude as the U.S. Thanksgiving approaches, I extend special appreciation for a member of the ADRP family whose generosity and leadership embody the very best of our community. 

At the conference in Montréal, we announced the 2025 recipient of ADRP’s Volunteer Service Award. The annual award recognizes a current member who, through both current and cumulative efforts, has generously contributed time and energy to advance our Association’s mission and the donor relations profession. This year, I had the great privilege of recognizing someone whose steady, thoughtful leadership has quietly shaped some of ADRP’s most meaningful work in recent years: Holden Scheidel. 

Whether helping to guide our strategic direction or leading the team that turned a shared vision into our Fundamentals of Donor Relations course, Holden’s presence has made ADRP better. What stands out most is not just what Holden has done, but how he does it – with humility, clarity, and deep care for our members, our profession, and ADRP’s future.  

Elizabeth Gray
Philanthropy and Campaign Officer, Tri Sigma Foundation 

My recent ADRP webinar titled Exploring the Power Dynamics Between Donors and Scholarship Recipients emerged from a critical question we rarely ask in donor relations: What do scholarship recipients actually experience when we facilitate donor connections? Fellow donor relations professionals learned of research that directly supports ADRP's mission by challenging us to expand our definition of relationship management beyond the donor-organization dynamic to include the often-overlooked voices of recipients themselves.

Through interviews with 10 University of West Florida scholarship recipients, I discovered something both reassuring and actionable: students don't feel tokenized by donor interactions — they actively want these connections and see them as mutually beneficial. 

The key takeaway? When we apply Relationship Management Theory to the donor-recipient relationship with the same intentionality as we do to donor stewardship, we create authentic engagement that benefits everyone involved. Attendees gained practical strategies for reimagining traditional scholarship events, implementing recipient biography forms, and building communication frameworks that meet students where they are rather than putting them in uncomfortable formal settings.

What made this session unique was centering student voices in a field that typically prioritizes donor preferences. By sharing direct quotes and demographic diversity from my research participants, I offered concrete evidence that our recipients are sophisticated stakeholders who deserve thoughtful relationship design.

Gian Booker
Executive Director, Stewardship, Donor Relations, Communications, and Marketing, University of Maryland Medicine (UM School of Medicine and UM Medical Center) 

Background Info

1. Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career? 

I stumbled into fundraising as a college intern after interviewing for a position in HR; the development lead convinced me to join their team. Years later, I chose to build a donor relations program from scratch over an annual giving role, seeing its power as a strategic driver. Since then, I’ve led major gift stewardship, managed compliance, built scalable frameworks, and made donor relations indispensable. 

2. What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations? 

Ruvimbo Chipazi
Donor Relations Officer, Dalhousie University

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

A toast of thanks …

Earlier this month, we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada, and I spent it with three generations of family – some born into it and others found over the years – but all intentionally connected. It was a weekend filled with fun, food, and laughter, and moments of gratitude for the people who show up, the stories that connect us, and the traditions we build together. 

It reminded me that family often extends far beyond our homes. Sometimes, it’s the people we choose to gather with – the communities we intentionally create – that shape and sustain us most. In many ways, that’s what ADRP feels like to me. We come together from across the sector and across geographies, with different experiences, cultures, and roles, but united by shared purpose and passion. 

Since the conference, I’ve loved seeing members celebrate connections new and old, shout out to those who inspire us (and those we wish to grow up to be), and share sparks of inspiration and ideas already in action – with ADRP at the heart of so many of those stories. 

Carlos Mora
Marketing Manager, FundMiner

Background Info:

1. Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

My journey into donor relations started as a student, when I saw firsthand how a scholarship can change a life. That experience stayed with me, and now at FundMiner, a company dedicated to simplifying fund management and supporting donor intent, I use my skills in marketing, storytelling, and design to create materials that help donor relations professionals steward donors better.

2. What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations? 

As a first-generation student, I know how important donations and scholarships can be. I like the idea of showing donors the real impact they make, it’s not just about saying thank you, but helping them see the lives they’re changing. That builds trust and inspires them to keep giving. I believe sharing those stories and outcomes is one of the most powerful parts of donor relations.

Guycaelle Vaval

Background Info

1. Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

Connection to ADRP 

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 President

Hello ADRP friends!

The countdown is on! In just a few weeks, we’ll be together in Montréal for ADRP’s 2025 International Conference. As your president and a proud Canadian, I could not be more excited to welcome you to this incredible city for three days of learning, sharing, and making connections that last well beyond the conference.

This special edition of The Hub is your sneak peek at what’s in store. From innovative sessions and inspiring keynotes to new voices and seasoned leaders, our program is packed with ideas you can take home and put into action. And just as important, you’ll have the chance to spend time with colleagues who understand and share your passion for donor relations.

Whether you’re joining us for the very first time or returning for another amazing year, Montréal is ready for you. I can’t wait to see you there!

Cheers,

Marian

The Hub Conference Takeover: Conference Volunteers

As we prepare to gather in Montréal for ADRP’s International Conference, we invite you to begin your journey with a special message from the dedicated volunteer leaders who have shaped this year’s conference. 

P.S. Do you have questions about this year’s conference? Submit them online and we’ll share our answers in the Know Before You Go section of the conference website.

Conference Crossword: Get to Know Your Conference Committee & Montréal

Here’s a fun activity to fill your time while flying to Montréal or taking a self-care break. Print our custom crossword puzzle to learn about your conference committee and some fun Montréal facts. For a list of the core conference committee volunteers please visit the conference website. 

Montréal Moments

If you’re not already planning to explore Montréal beyond the conference, we urge you to reconsider! This city is bursting with charm, culture, and adventure. From its world-class art and lively festivals to hidden green spaces and a mouth-watering food scene, Montréal has something for everyone. Check out the printable guide to help plan your trip! 

Download the Guide

Attendee Experience Highlights

Nobody does experience planning like a donor relations professional. This year’s international conference is no exception. Get ready!

Voices of Experience: The Volunteers Who Shaped ADRP’s Fundamentals of Donor Relations

Holden Scheidel
Ex Officio, ADRP Board of Directors
Co-Chair, ADRP Education Committee

Marian Johnson
2025-2026 ADRP President

Happy July, friends!

Summer always invites a different rhythm. Even if the calendar stays busy, there’s something about longer days, warmer nights, and quiet moments outdoors that calls us to pause, play, reflect, and breathe a little deeper.

In a profession where we care deeply for others—our donors, teams, institutions, and causes—summer is a gentle reminder to care for ourselves, too. It’s a chance to step back, reset, and reconnect with curiosity and joy. What’s one small way you can give yourself space this month to pause or reflect? Maybe it’s finishing a book just for fun, wandering without a destination, catching up with a friend, or simply sitting still long enough to notice something beautiful. 

Pay attention to the moments that light you up. They are often the quiet reminders of why our work matters. If you have a favorite summer reset ritual, I’d love to hear it! Feel free to share it with me by email at [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn. Let’s inspire each other with the ways we’re making space to rest and recharge.

Pandora Hess
Associate Director, Donor Experience & Engagement, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Background Info 

1. Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

Although I have only been in donor relations in an official capacity for the last seven years, I have been actively practicing donor relations my entire career! I began as a museum curator at a preservation organization and, as with many small non-profits, I wore many (read: a teetering stack) of hats, including leading a special-interest donor group, writing content-rich donor communications, delivering behind-the-scenes experiences to donors, and stewarding gifts to the collection. From there, I co-led the program that strategically stewarded the Harvard Art Museums’ highest-level donors. Then I switched from museums to healthcare, joining one of the largest philanthropy teams in the country at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  

2. What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations?

Donor relations offers a compelling blend of creativity, strategy, and the opportunity to explore human motivation — understanding what drives our desire to give and remain engaged. No two days are the same. 

Voices of Experience: How to Maximize Fund Utilization in Advancement

Advancement professionals know that every dollar entrusted to their organizations carries both promise and responsibility. In line with the ADRP mission to empower members with practical, forward-thinking strategies, the webinar on “Use It or Lose It” positioned fund management as an operational necessity and a strategic advantage for deepening donor trust and driving sustainable impact.

By rightfully treating donor relations as more than a compliance or communications checkbox, this approach reinforces ADRP’s vision of a future where members don’t just raise funds but honor donor intent through transparency, accountability, and measurable results. Whether your office supports scholarships, research, or special initiatives, the guiding principle is the same: every gift deserves evidence of impact.

Key Takeaways for Participants

Attendees left the session equipped with three transformative insights:

“Closing the loop” with your donors ignites flywheel fundraising: Integrating gift acceptance, acknowledgment, fund deployment, and impact reporting into a continuous cycle that reignites donor engagement at each turn gives advancement teams a head start on the next gift.

Administrative challenges and information silos impede our work: Advancement teams often manage thousands of funds, and information tends to be scattered across various systems. Breakdowns happen, and they have real consequences. Implementing controls and automating processes can help reduce errors, save valuable time, and equip campus-wide stakeholders with valuable information.

Create Your “Fund Management Playbook”: When scaling a fund management program from the ground up, consider leveraging a task force or working group and start by creating your “playbook.” Outline everything. Establish fund management standards, monitor fund utilization, keep an annual work plan, schedule regular field and fund audits, and train everyone.

Facilitators’ Complementary Perspectives

This framework was delivered and brought to life through two expert voices:

Chelsea Lamego spearheaded the development and growth of the fund management program at UTEP, before moving to co-found FundMiner, where she now serves as CEO. Chelsea brings her wealth of experience in building a fund management program centered on technology and innovation.

Hillary Dudley has been part of the UTEP team implementing and leveraging FundMiner. She has continued to build on the fund management successes at UTEP, now widely considered one of the best Fund Management programs in the country.

The audience Q & A at the end of the session was highly engaging as participants explored how to apply learnings from the session to their organization, develop their own protocols, and leverage technology such as FundMiner to support their work. Participants were granted access to several downloadable resources and templates.

The feedback from the webinar demonstrated how the topic of fund management is growing in importance at fundraising organizations. As a relatively underdeveloped area of philanthropy, there is a hunger for resources, tools, technologies, best practices, and communities where discussions can be had. The ADRP community can play a critical role in elevating this important conversation by continuing to share ideas and best practices among peers.